Hi All:
Here it is December already. At my friends’ studios, I have seen
hammers flying, stones set and seams soldered into all kinds of
beautiful work. The holiday crunch time is on.
I haven’t been on the list much lately, mostly lurking as my life is
making a huge 180.
I’m heading out to California to take care of my elder aunt and
visiting a few friends out there, and then off to Tucson. Since many
of you in Orchid land live in the Bay Area, I would love to say hi in
person, as I will be out there from December 18 - January 31.
Since I left Metalwerx, I traveled to Thailand for three weeks for
the first real break of my life.
Metalwerx has never looked better and classes are cooking along.
They just finished their Holiday Trunk Show and it was PACKED with
many new people. I am happy to say, that after nine years of taking
care of lots of other people, I am now taking care of one favorite
aunt and of me and building a new studio in my house. Metalwerx is
thriving and like any 9 year old, is becoming independent.
Cleverwerx, my new baby, is finally getting the attention it needs.
Metalwerx is the school where everyone can learn all kinds of cool
techniques, but students, like myself, treasure well made tools.
I have some new beefy titanium cross lock tweezers, regular tweezers
and soldering pick which is in the R & D stage. The first prototypes
look very promising and I will be visiting the factory in Ventura,
CA, next week. Basing my experiences from Metalwerx, my passion for
ergonomic jewelry tool design has become very strong. I’m a tool
junkie and should be in a 12 Step Program, but instead want to make
what I hold in my hand better for everyone.
I will be in Tucson at the Orchid Dinner of course and also at the
Foredom Booth at Rio Grande’s Catalog in Motion and spending some
time at the Ganoksin booth.
The Orchid Forum has provided me a platform for discovery, play,
answers to questions, and questions which were answered. It has
provided an important resource for a book, and another on the way by
Charles Lewton Brain.
I just want to say thank you, Hanuman and Charles, for developing
this forum for ideas, a soap box to grumble about when things go
wrong, and a loudspeaker for when things go right. You make it free
and accessible to everyone. Thanks.
-k
Karen Christians
Cleverwerx
Clever tools for every day tasks